William daves



(No Model.)

W. DAVBS.

ELECTRIC RAILWAY SIGNAL.

No. 349,927. Patented Sept. 28, 1886.

(1440 w 3517M a/brozmm o UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

XVILLIAM DAVES, OF ORANSTONS, NEYV YORK.

ELECTRIC RAILWAY-SIGNAL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 349,927, dated September 28, 1886.

Application filed No'vcmhcr 6, 1885.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM DAVIES, a citizen of the United States, residing in Oranstons, in the county of Orange and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Railway-Signals, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to the class of devices employed for controlling the connections of electric circuits for signaling at railwaycrossings the approach of trains.

The object of the invention is to provide means for causing an alarm to sound or a signal to be given in the neighborhood of a crossing when trains are approaching in either direction on a single track, while it remains unaffected by trains receding from the crossing.

The invention consists in constructing an interlocking device for closing a circuit through an alarm or signaling device in such manner that two electroonagnets must be vitalized to complete the circuit. A given one of these electromagnets must be vitalized before the other in each instance, in order that the device shall respond. If the second is first vitalized,itlocks the first magnet so that its armature cannot be actuated, and at the same time the armature of the first holds the other armature in such position as to prevent it from completing the connections of the alarm-circuit.

In the accompanying drawing, there is illustrated an organization of circuits and apparatus embodying the features of the invention.

Referring to the drawing, A represents a single-track railway, and it is supposed thata crossing is at or near the point B.

0 represents a signaling device, in this instance a vibrating bell included in the circuit of a local battery, 0. The connections of this battery are designed to be completed by the contact of a spring, 0, with an arm, 0 under the influence of the pressure exerted by an armature-lever, d, of an electro-magnet, D. Upon this armature-lever there is a catch, d, which is designed to pass behind acorresponding catch, 6, upon an armature, 6, applied to an electro-magnet, E. If the electromagnet D be vitalized while the armature e is away from its magnet, the catch (1 will be engaged by the catch e, and thus the armature (I will (No model.)

be prevented from coming toward its electromagnet and closing the circuit of the battery 0. If, however, the electrounagnet E be first vitalized, and then the elect-ro-magnet D, then both armature-levers will be allowed to come forward and the circuit of the battery will be completed. The positions of the armatures are so adjusted that while the armature 6 can pass toward its electro-magnet, provided the armature d be in its backward position, yet if the latter be drawn slightly forward then the detent or catch (1 will pass behind the hooked end of the catch 6' and prevent the latter from coming forward when the electromagnet E is vitalized, thus insuring that the armature (I cannot close the circuit of the 10- cal battery in any event when the eleetro-magnet D is vitalized first. The means whereby these electro-magnets are vitalized in the proper succession are as follows: At each of two suitable points, F and F, at the required distances from the crossing B, are placed two circuit-closers, as shown atff andff. These circuit-closers may be of any convenient form adapted to complete the connections between the rails a of the track and the conductors 1, 2, 3, and 4, respectively, by the operation of a passing train. The conductor 1 leads from the circuit-closerf to a conductor, 5, including the coils of the electro-magnetE and connected with one polesay the positiveof a battery, 0. The negative pole of this battery is connected by a conductor, 6, with the rails a. WVhen therefore the circuit is completed between the rail and the conductor 1 by a train passing the circnitcloserf, the electromagnet E will be vitalized and its armaturelever drawn forward. The train proceeding upon the track in the direction indicated by the arrow at then closes the circuit between the rail and the conductor 2 by means of the circuit-closer f. The conductor 2 is connected with a conductor, 7, leading through the coils of the electro-magnet D to one polesay the negativeof a battery, 0 The remaining pole of this battery is connected by the conductor 6 with the rails 11. The electro-magnet D will therefore be vitalized, and the armature 6, having been drawn out of its path, the armature (Z will be drawn forward, thus closing the circuit of the battery 0 and causing the bell reason a circuit-closer, f, is employed,.and

this is connected by a conductor, 8, with the conductor 5, leading through the electro-magnet E. The train reaching the crossing closes the circuit through this device, thereby causing the electro-magnet E to bevitalized and its armature-lever drawn forward, thus releasing, the armature d, which immediately falls away from its magnet, thus opening the circuit of the battery 0. The train continuing reaches the circuit-closer f and completes the circuit through the magnet D by way of the conductor 4, leading 'from the circuit closer to I the conductor 7 5 but the armature d is prevented from coming forward and closing the circuit of the local battery 0 by reason of the hooked catch 6 upon the armature e. The circuit is then closed through the magnet E by the circuit-closer f which is connected by the conductor 3 with the conductor 5. The armature 6, however, isprevented from coming forward by reason of the hooked extension 6 being engaged by the catch d upon the lever 01, it being understood that the armature d is held forward by its electromagnet D. The circuit of the battery 0, therefore, will not be completed by the train passing from the crossing over the circuit-closersf and f. It is evident that a train passing in the direction opposite that indicated by the arrow q will first arrive at the circuit-closer f 3 and complete the circuit through the electromagnet E. Then by reason of the circuit-closer f the electromagnet D will be vitalized, and thus operate the signaling devices in precisely the same manner as described with reference to a train passing in the direction of the arrow and operating the circuit-closers f and f. The signal will then remain actuated until the train arrives at the crossing B, whereupon it is released in the manner described. The train subsequently passes the circuit-closers f and f in succession without operating the signal.

I claim as my invention-- 1. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, with a railway-track, of two electro-magnets,a circuit-closing device, means for completing a circuit through one of these magnets by a train moving in a given directio'n, and then completing a circuit through the second, and thereby operating the circuitcloser, means for demagnetizing the first magnet, and thereby locking the circuit-closer, and means for subsequently vitalizing the firstnamed magnet, and thereby releasing the circuit-closer, substantially as described.

2. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, With a railway-track and four circuit-closers located along said track, of an electro-magnet, means for vitalizing said electro-magnet by the operation of either of the two extreme circuit-closers, a second electromagnet, means for vitalizing the same by the cuit-closers means for vitalizing said electromagnets in the succession in which the correinbefore set forth, of a railwaytrack, two circuit-closers operated by a train passing along said track, two electro-magnets respectively included in the circuits controlled by said circuit-closers, a signaling device, a local circuit for the same, means for closing said circuit only When said circuit-closers are operated in a given succession, and a third circuit-closing device for subsequently completing the circuit 7 completed by the first of said circuit-closers.

In testimony whereof I have hereuntosubscribed my name this 28th day of October,

WVitnesses:

DANL. W. EDGECOMlZ, CHARLES A. TERRY. 

